With the temperature hovering around 50 degrees and rain falling last Friday, most people wouldn’t even think about riding their bicycles, but it didn’t deter Brian Ardanowski.

The 29-year-old braved the elements for Bike to Work Day, pedaling the 30-mile trip from his home near Briarwood in Ann Arbor to his job at OHM Advisors in Livonia.

“I left about 6 o’clock,” he said. “It was getting light enough that I could bike safely. But I haven’t seen anybody else. The weather is terrible.”

It was Ardanowski’s first time participating in the event, which he had heard about in previous years through online readings. He looked it up and decided to mark it on his calendar several months ago.

“I was going to ride regardless (of the weather),” he said. “I had already planned for riding with a change of clothes at work and a shower. Everything was prepared.”

A civil engineer at OHM for three years, Ardanowski is from Plymouth and has lived in Ann Arbor for four years.

Even though the weather was “obviously pretty nasty,” he said still managed to do it in an hour and a half.

“Why not?” he said. “I bike a lot. Usually I never do it to work, but this gave me a good reason.”

Each summer, he participates in One Helluva Ride, a local 100-mile trip, riding his 27-speed Trek.

“I don’t use the lowest gear – there aren’t that many mountains around here!” he said.

Bike to Work Day

Detroit-area cyclists pedaled their way to work 7-9 a.m. May 15 to make a point about staying healthy and active. Organized group convoys were planned for a variety of routes – including the one Ardanowski took, Hines Drive – with a rallying place in downtown Detroit at Capitol Park.

Rally participants were treated to hot coffee and food, plus giveaways from vendors, including Great Lakes Roasting Co., Wayne State University, Shinola, Detroit Bikes, Wheelhouse Detroit, Urban Bean, KIND and more. Wayne State hosted a Bike to Work Day pit stop with free coffee and pastries at Old Main.

“Detroit’s interest in bicycling is definitely on the upswing,” said Todd Scott, executive director for the Detroit Greenways Coalition and a leading advocate for bicycling and other pedestrian issues in the region. “Biking to jobs and school in Detroit can be a less expensive and faster option compared to other transportation modes.”